WHAT!?!? You sold the Fathoms? I saw your classified ad tonight as well. After all the discussions in the Fathom forum, why the change of heart? Just curious.

Interesting where you are taking your room now. Seems like yesterday you were just getting the previous room all set up and cozy!

Yes, I sold the Revels and the Fathoms and you are correct in that I was theoretically finished with the Audio in the room and had started looking at video. Then I visited another Forum member’s home who had gone through a similar process of upgrading from MidFi to some very high end audio for his HT application. He had the JTR speakers you now see in my HT.

Long story short, to achieve great Theater like sound requires lots of power and high efficiency loudspeakers capable of the handling the wide dynamic range of movie soundtracks. With “high end” products like Revel and JL, you get a very refined and well made product (great aesthetics) but the DIY guys have it right in that you pay a lot for the name brand and the fit and finish.

Bottom line is that once I heard his system and looked past the aesthetics issues, I realized that I was spending much more than I needed to get what I wanted which was real Theater sound. I am fortunate in that I shop hard for all of my equipment and so have some liquidity in my gear when the inevitable selling happens. I hope this latest move provides some stability in the HT room audio wise but realistically, this is a hobby and for me that means that change is both fun and inevitable.

Here are some pics of the room in it’s current unusable state. I am installing an equipment closet in the former small dual linen storage cabinet area outside the HT room. The front of the in-wall equipment rack will be hidden by an acoustic panel on drawer slides for access. There will be a louvered door on the closet outside the HT room for rear access. I’m going all RF for all of the electronics.

This storage area is the new equipment closet and will be demoed today.

After another 10 hour day the HT room was put back together last night. We used the new VOC free paint and the room was tolerable for the SO after a couple hours of drying. I'm really liking the built-in Equipment cabinet/closet.

I will be hanging one of my 3" Acoustic Panels (on drawer slides) as the inside door/cover for the equipment cab. I have a new Harmony RF remote and will be installing the emitters and such today.

To early for a review but after a very quick setup, the new Danley sub sounded great. I will be doing more setup via the Velo SMS-1 and trying Audyssey again in the next few days.

I still have a bit of work to do in installing the louvered door and the carpeting in the closet, clean up the wiring, properly place acoustic panels and move the projector screen forward a bit to clear the new taller JTR speakers. At least most of the dirty work is done and the room is functional again.

Here are a few pics:

The Danley Sub (in first trial location)
Yes, those are acoustic panels in front and on top of the THSPUD. Trying to disguise it.

The room looks fantastic! Now you just need to get a bigger screen
I'm looking forward to demo'ing that SPUD!

Thanks Peter, video is next.

I just posted some initial impressions on the SPUD in the Subwoofer Section. I'm thoroughly impressed with the SPUD and would like to get your impressions relative to the DTS-20. We need to make a date for a little GTG at my house before the Holidays.

I need a new camera that is idiot proof. Here are some pics (Picasso had his Blue Period too) of the new EC (equipment closet) and cleaner looking front stage. I still need to clean up the wiring in the EC and make a decision on another sub (totally unnecessary).

I’m thinking of having a little GTG next weekend to demo the new audio and get some feedback. I know these speakers can ROCK, but I spent a couple of hours last night with some high quality acoustic recordings (DVD Audio from AIX records). I remain in awe of the JTR’s and at risk of sounding like a fan boy, if you ever get a chance to hear them I strongly suggest you do so.

My amp (Sunfire TGA400-7) runs cool so the only component generating much heat is my QSC amp for the sub. It really isn't bad but that's why I installed a louvered door as passive ventilation. I can vent to an attic space above if I have to but I don't think it will be necessary. Since the equipment is behind an acoustic panel door I don't hear the DVR/AMP fans in the HT room.

I agree. The Revels and the JLs looked fantastic. Though the JTRs and the Danley sub are undoubtably better suited for HT, they are about as far from refined looking (like the JLs and the Revels) as they could get. They are very obviously meant to be hidden behind a screen wall, or out of site. Are you planning on a CIH fixed screen/ screen wall type setup? Maybe an RS20 or similar? How many people have questionesd why you would ditch the JLs for that? They would likely have to hear it to know why.

I agree. The Revels and the JLs looked fantastic. Though the JTRs and the Danley sub are undoubtably better suited for HT, they are about as far from refined looking (like the JLs and the Revels) as they could get. They are very obviously meant to be hidden behind a screen wall, or out of site. Are you planning on a CIH fixed screen/ screen wall type setup? Maybe an RS20 or similar? How many people have questionesd why you would ditch the JLs for that? They would likely have to hear it to know why.

I agree the Revels and Fathoms looked better but I am not missing them.

I was going to do a fixed AT screen (SMX and an RS20) with the speakers mounted on-wall behind but I decided I didn't want to loose the 58" Plasma. I gives me another video option in the room and I like that. So unless I can figure something else out the JTR's will be visable.

I am quite familiar with "audio fever" as I've been a long time audiophile myself, and I'm trying to integrate the speakers I love into my home theater, both sonically and aesthetically. It's not easy.

I agree with others that your room aesthetics have taken a hit with those new speakers.
For me I like the whole experience to cohere: aesthetics and image/sound. Then again, I'm not even a fan of seeing speaker drivers as I find them just more visual distraction.

If you can't hide those monster speakers, what about grill clothes on your new speakers, to at least dial down the visual distraction around your displays?

I am quite familiar with "audio fever" as I've been a long time audiophile myself, and I'm trying to integrate the speakers I love into my home theater, both sonically and aesthetically. It's not easy.

I agree with others that your room aesthetics have taken a hit with those new speakers.
For me I like the whole experience to cohere: aesthetics and image/sound. Then again, I'm not even a fan of seeing speaker drivers as I find them just more visual distraction.

If you can't hide those monster speakers, what about grill clothes on your new speakers, to at least dial down the visual distraction around your displays?

Thanks and I get what you are saying but I have a different perspective. As far as I am concerned most, if not all speakers are eyesores. I have done fine wood working in a past life and I know what that really means in time (if you do it yourself) and costs (if you purchase it). For me, the very best “Audiophile” speakers are equivalent to mid-grade commercial furniture. If they are installed in a multiuse space, I understand the desire to have them look pretty. My dedicated room is what it is and I have elected that it not be a theatre clone, nor a family room. It is my own distinctive, purpose built space and as such it’s visual appeal is secondary.

For me it was all about the sound. I did not mind having money tied up in speakers if I was getting what I wanted out of them. What I found was that "Audiophile" speakers are not well suited for HT if your goal is to reproduce the dynamics of big action movies or concert videos. The pro-audio manufacturers build products specifically for this purpose. It just took me a while to realize that. I also realize that they are not for everyone.

Now, rant over, it is funny you should mention grilles. Actually, I ordered grilles for the LCR’s last week. When I told the fiancé her comment was "why did you do that, I like the look of the exposed drivers".

Although, I personally LOVE the look of a good speaker. I have some German audio physic speakers in dark massacar ebony that just look gorgeous, and I'm very hard to please too.

Personally even when it comes to strict music listening I prefer not to see the speaker drivers if possible. When I see the drivers I find it hard to ignore them and I can't help but perceive the drivers "making the sound"...even when a speaker images well otherwise. But my mind just sort of says "yep, that's where the sound is coming from, right there...tweeter...mid...."

Once I have grill clothes on that distraction is taken away and I truly find the imaging easier to believe and I find just the "music" is left in the air, without thought as to how it is being mechanically reproduced. I also like as little visual distraction around my display as possible too and to that end speaker grills help, and make the speaker disappear with the lights down.

Your speakers, being black, I'd think would disappear somewhat with the lights down.

Also, showing we are coming from a similar understanding but different criteria: I actually do sound design/effects for film and tv, so much of the time I live and breath pro audio sound. So I know how feeble many HT systems are in comparison.

Yet despite that, or rather because of it, when it comes to relaxing at the end of the day I turn to more "audiophile" speakers that give a sense of organic ease to the sound. (And I like my Conrad Johnson tube amps!) Some of my current speakers are actually more laid back dynamically (although very full sounding) which allows my ears some "aaahhhh" factor when I put on a movie after a long day of doing action scenes in my work.

Anyway, nice chatting. Back to your thread: This is an excellent thread for following your progress!

Great looking room. Even though they present their own problems, I really envy people with nice size rooms. So the Revels are out and the JTR's are in. They look like they mean business. If I had the space for two systems, I would probably go down a road similar to this. Most likely though I would go with the Catalyst because I have a SubMersive. I really like my JM Labs 1027be's and I do think they sound good for HT. My room is small, about 1000cf so the room is the limiting factor. But I do know what you mean about dynamic capabilities. I once heard the Cinepro speaker system. Holy Crap. I have never heard anything like that. That is what I think about when I hear you guys talk about what you are experiencing. Congrats on getting the setup the way you wanted it.

Great looking room. Even though they present their own problems, I really envy people with nice size rooms. So the Revels are out and the JTR's are in. They look like they mean business. If I had the space for two systems, I would probably go down a road similar to this. Most likely though I would go with the Catalyst because I have a SubMersive. I really like my JM Labs 1027be's and I do think they sound good for HT. My room is small, about 1000cf so the room is the limiting factor. But I do know what you mean about dynamic capabilities. I once heard the Cinepro speaker system. Holy Crap. I have never heard anything like that. That is what I think about when I hear you guys talk about what you are experiencing. Congrats on getting the setup the way you wanted it.

Thanks Mike ... these things are never done. My guess is the Catalyst/SubMersive combo would be best in class. I am really looking forward to hearing them (the Catalysts).

I just wish some one near me had one of these kinds of systems so I could check it out. There is only one other guy I know around me with a HT and my audio is much better then his is. Although his video is better then mine.